


Missing the Sounds of Pickaxe and Humming

by 46hasu



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, ghost is coping with emotions, grimmchild is just trying to help, myla dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 10:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18892558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/46hasu/pseuds/46hasu
Summary: Grimmchild would never let anyone hurt Ghost, even if Ghost doesn't show their emotions very well.





	Missing the Sounds of Pickaxe and Humming

The Grimmchild didn’t feel pain. Any normal attack passes through them harmlessly, so they had nothing to worry about no matter how dangerous Hallownest was. 

Same, however, could not be said for their caretaker. 

Their shell can easily break when they took damage, Grimmchild had seen it before dozens of times. Their caretaker would become overwhelmed from all the damage and hazardous paths until their shell finally breaks, leaving behind their shade. 

Grimmchild hated their shade. It filled them with unease when they looked at it for too long. They were grateful for the fact that they can teleport to their caretaker instead of being forced to wait for them with their shade. 

Their caretaker was a strange one. They didn’t show any emotions, unlike other bugs that the Grimmchild knew. The Grimm Troupe was full of bugs that hid in illusions but even they had moments of sincere emotions, no matter how scarce. 

Nevertheless, Grimmchild still felt some sort of emotional attachment to their caretaker. It could have been because of how kind they were to them when they didn’t have to be. They would always look back to make sure they were following them and checking them to see if they were injured in any way when they rested on a bench, despite the fact that they were aware that the Grimmchild can’t be harmed by simple means.

In fact, seeing them die or get injured was probably the closest thing that the Grimmchild had to feel pain. Just watching them while they stood by helpless was terrible. They wanted to help their caretaker and fight beside them. 

It was a dream come true when they were finally fed the third flame that allowed them to grow and become stronger. Now they could finally fight with their caretaker!

Hallownest was a dangerous place and they won’t let their caretaker die from simple bugs, so they attacked sight of any dangers that were close by. If their caretaker was pleased by Grimmchild’s new ability, they didn’t show it. But that was what they expected, as long as they lived it was fine if the Grimmchild was never praised for it like their father and rest of the Troupe did. 

Grimmchild looked at their caretaker sitting on a bench, who was looking at their map and silently contemplating. It seemed Forgotten Crossroads was their favorite place in Hallownest after Dirtmouth, seeing how much they visited the place. It wasn’t as dangerous as other parts of Hallownest so Grimmchild could understand why, but they still never let their guard down. Nothing was going to hurt their caretaker. 

Their caretaker stood up from the bench and waited for Grimmchild to follow them out of the Stag Station. Grimmchild was with them immediately and followed them while chirping excitedly. 

They followed them to the familiar entry to the Crystal Peaks connected to the Forgotten Crossroads and were immediately welcomed by the sound of pickaxe but no familiar singing. How strange. The miner was usually singing while working to find the crystals. But they did look ill and confused the last time they saw her. Maybe she left to rest and someone else was covering for her. 

Their caretaker knew the miner way before becoming the Grimmchild’s caretaker. They visited her regularly with the Grimmchild and listen to her singing. In Grimmchild’s opinion, there were better singers in the Troupe, but listening to Myla sing while working was endearing and felt more sincere than the Troupe’s singers, who preferred flashy performances. In fact, listening to her was the closest they came to relaxing within Hallownest. 

Their caretaker stopped before the drop that usually led to Myla and seemed to ponder for a moment. Grimmchild waited for them to make a decision. After a moment, they decided to drop down and see if Myla was there. Grimmchild followed them apprehensively, sensing that something was wrong. 

Immediately a pickaxe flew by them, it would have destroyed them if they could be injured by normal means. Grimmchild looked up and saw Myla running towards them with her ax raised above her head. 

Their caretaker was quick to react and hit them directly with their nail. The Grimmchild tried to hit her as well with their fire but missed. They couldn’t understand why she was attacking them! 

Was she mad at them?

Grimmchild wondered for a while until they saw the familiar orange glow from her eyes that resembled other miners in Crystal Peaks that attacked. 

Myla attacked them again but their caretaker seemed to hesitate to do the final hit that would kill her. Grimmchild let out a confused “nweh” at their hesitation. Couldn’t they see that Myla was dangerous now?

They watched their caretaker take out their Dreamnail with shaky hands. Grimmchild let out a screech. What was that going to do to her? That weapon was useless in this situation. 

They looked at Myla and hit her with the Dreamnail but also received a hit from Myla’s ax. Grimmchild screamed. What were they doing?

_  ...Bury my mother...Pale and slight… _

She was still singing in her subconsciousness. Grimmchild threw another fire at her and missed again. Their caretaker raised their nail slower than usual.

_ Bury...My sisters… Two by two  _

Grimmchild aimed again and hit her directly before their caretaker could strike. Myla let out a cry and fell on the floor.

They let out a victorious chirp. Their aim was getting better! Grimmchild waited for their caretaker to take the geo that Myla dropped but they didn’t move from their spot. 

They waited some more and their caretaker finally looked up at them. They stared at them for a while and climbed out of the pit and walked to the entry of Crystal Peak without picking up the dropped geo. 

Grimmchild followed them but looked back at where Myla was. They were going to miss her singing. 

Their caretaker continued to walk on until they arrived at a familiar bench nearby the entry to Crystal Peaks and sat down. Grimmchild sat down at their feet as usual and looked at them, waiting for them to continue their journey. Their caretaker didn’t acknowledge them as they sat on the bench and quietly pondered. 

Grimmchild patiently watched them consider their next move. Their caretaker looked at them for a while and took off their Grimmchild charm. They let a surprised “nyah” before they disappeared. 

-

When Grimmchild was summoned through their charm again, they let out a joyful chirp and flew around their caretaker eager to be with them again. 

But instead of acknowledging them, they got up from the bench and walked on to the dark cave. Grimmchild followed them, still happy to be back. Their caretaker walked up to the flame summoning the Grimmkin in the process. 

Facing off the Grimmkin was easy especially because of the Grimmchild’s improved aiming. They took it down and the Grimmchild consumed its flames. 

Their caretaker watched them consume the flames and walked back to the bench. Grimmchild followed them, hoping that they can explore Hallownest with their caretaker again. 

They opened their maps and studied them on the bench. Grimmchild sat next to them to look at it and was surprised to see new areas that were mapped out. How long were they unequipped?

Well, no matter. Their caretaker would show them the new areas on their way to the third and final flame. But instead of getting up from the bench to explore new areas, their caretaker removed the charm again, making the Grimmchild disappear. 

-

Maybe now was the time to explore with them?

Grimmchild followed them from the bench to the third flame and faced the Grimmkin with their caretaker. It went down quicker than they expected from their caretaker's nail. It seems they have upgraded their nail, though when and how they weren’t sure.

Almost immediately their caretaker went back to a bench after the flame’s consumption. Grimmchild dejectedly followed them, knowing what was going to happen. Their caretaker reached for the charm and looked at the Grimmchild, who was waiting. They stared for a while and finally unequipped the charm. 

-

Grimmchild found themselves in Dirtmouth with their caretaker, just like the first time they met.  

They followed their caretaker to the Grimm Troupe’s tent and flew to their father. 

They found themselves suddenly back in Dirtmouth. They looked at their caretaker sitting beside them, wondering what happened until they remembered the dance of the ritual. Their caretaker was quickly defeated in the dance. In fact, they did seem sluggish during the fight against Grimmkin as well. No, not sluggish. Hesitant. 

Their caretaker stood up after shuffling with some charms and walked back to the tent. Grimmchild watched them walk from the bench. Their back was too stiff, their steps were too quick and they kept looking back and forth at every step. 

How did they miss all those before? They weren’t like this before Myla was killed by them and not by their caretaker. 

Then it hit Grimmchild all at once. 

Their caretaker was sad about Myla. Myla was clearly suffering but they hesitated to put her out of her misery. She was their friend but Grimmchild was the one who ended up killing her instead of them. They thought their hesitance was a weakness. 

So they unequipped the Grimmchild, explored new areas and upgraded their nail to become stronger. 

Knowing their caretaker, they probably didn’t let themselves feel sad about Myla. Maybe they showed no emotions because maybe they didn’t know how. The only thing they did seem to know was hitting things with their nail, which clearly wasn’t enough to cope with the loss of a friend. 

Grimmchild waited for them to notice that they haven’t followed them to the tent. Almost immediately, their caretaker came dashing back. They looked at the Grimmchild and pointed to the tents. Grimmchild refused to move from the bench. 

Their caretaker pointed to the tents again but Grimmchild still refused to move. They stared at each other for a while. Grimmchild then had the notion that maybe their caretaker would drag them to the tents if they had to. It certainly looked as if they were considering it despite having an expressionless face. 

After more staring (more of glaring from Grimmchild), their caretaker finally sat down beside them and slumped. They looked defeated 

Grimmchild let them remain in their thoughts for a while until they sat on their lap and leaned into them, bumping their head gently against theirs. Their caretaker let out a little jump but didn’t push them off. 

Grimmchild let out a little purr to let them know it wasn’t their fault and that it was ok to feel a little sad about what happened. They sat still and let the Grimmchild lean into them.

If they weren’t paying attention, then they would have missed that their caretaker was shaking a little. They weren’t crying but they were shaking nonetheless. Grimmchild hugged them the best they could with their wings. 

The sound of pickaxe and the humming when passing by the entrance to Crystal Peak while exploring. That nervous little stutter and the joy from remembering lyrics long that was thought to be forgotten. They were long gone now. Myla was gone. 

Grimmchild softly hummed the song. They couldn’t sing the song yet but maybe one day, when they remembered the full lyrics, they can. 

They felt themselves falling asleep but didn’t fight it, even if it was the last few moments where they could be outside the charm. They’ll wait to be summoned again. Once their caretaker is ready, they will explore the rest of Hallownest with them. 

For now, however, they let themselves sleep leaning against their caretaker. 

_ Burn my father with his eyes shut tight. _

Or was bury? 

With that last thought, Grimmchild fell into a deep sleep. 

-

Ghost watched them sleep soundly against their chest. Looks like Grimm will have to wait for the dance. 

They watched Grimmchild and started to wonder if they would love to explore the Fog Canyon together. The Oomas hardly did any damage to travelers unless bothered. 

They raised their hand and pet the Grimmchild. They saw Iselda doing this once to sleeping Cornifer, maybe it would comfort them as well. The Grimmchild let out a pleased purr in its sleep. 

Ghost felt pleased with the new knowledge. Perhaps they should pet them more. 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't think my first fic on this fandom would be angst


End file.
